Dodecahydro-3a,6,6,9a-tetramethylnaphtho[2,1-b]furan (occasionally referred to as “Ambroxan (trademark)”) is an aroma chemical with satisfactorily long-lasting properties that is produced via chemical conversion mainly from sclareol extracted from Salvia sclarea. FIG. 1 shows a process for producing dodecahydro-3a,6,6,9a-tetramethylnaphtho[2,1-b]furan from sclareol. As shown in FIG. 1, decahydro-2-hydroxy-2,5,5,8a-tetramethylnaphthaleneethanol and sclareolide (decahydro-3a,6,6,9a-tetramethylnaphtho[2,1-b]furan-2(1H)-one) are known as dodecahydro-3a,6,6,9a-tetramethylnaphtho[2,1-b]furan intermediates. Also, a cyclic ether compound (8α,13-oxido-12,13-dehydro-15,16-dinorlabdane) is known as a dodecahydro-3a,6,6,9a-tetramethylnaphtho[2,1-b]furan intermediate, although it is not shown in FIG. 1.
Conversion of sclareol into a dodecahydro-3a, 6,6,9a-tetramethylnaphtho[2,1-b]furan intermediate by a microorganism is described in, for example, JP Patent No. 2547713, JP Patent No. 2802588, JP Patent No. 3002654, and JP Patent No. 2063550. JP Patent No. 2547713 discloses production of decahydro-2-hydroxy-2,5,5,8a-tetramethylnaphthaleneethanol by Hyphozyma roseoniger ATCC20624. JP Patent No. 2802588 discloses production of a dodecahydro-3a,6,6,9a-tetramethylnaphtho[2,1-b]furan intermediate by Cryptococcus laurentii ATCC20920. JP Patent No. 3002654 discloses production of a dodecahydro-3a,6,6,9a-tetramethylnaphtho[2,1-b]furan intermediate by Bensingtonia cilliata ATCC20919. JP Patent No. 2063550 discloses production of a dodecahydro-3a, 6,6,9a-tetramethylnaphtho[2,1-b]furan intermediate by Cryptococcus albidus ATCC20918 and Cryptococcus albidus ATCC20921.
Thus, only microorganisms of Basidiomycetes or Hyphozyma were known as microorganisms having the ability of producing dodecahydro-3a,6,6,9a-tetramethylnaphtho[2,1-b]furan intermediates using sclareol as a substrate, as disclosed in JP Patent No. 2547713, JP Patent No. 2802588, JP Patent No. 3002654, and JP Patent No. 2063550.